Celebrating World Water Day, one t-shirt at a time at the Kew Eco-Fair

This year’s Kew Eco-Fair took place on 22 March 2025 at St Luke’s Church, The Avenue, Kew. And what a blast everyone had! Following its huge success in 2023, the 2025 edition of the Eco-Fair did not disappoint. Packed with activities for the whole family, it’s certain that everyone came away inspired to take action on climate change. Well done to everyone who helped make this event such a success!

Opened by its patron broadcaster Jeremy Vine, the Mayor of Richmond, Cllr Richard Pyne, The Bishop of Kingston, The Rt Revd Dr Martin Gainsborough and St Luke’s own Revd Melanie Harrington-Haynes, the Eco-Fair demonstrated how a small group of people can do big things. In fact, Jeremy Vine urged “Don’t just sit there, do something!”

Image shows a man wearing a black suit standing on a low platform to the left of the picture. he is speaking into a handheld microphone. There is a row a people watching him including the Mayor who is wearing his gold chain of office. There are is a clergy man and woman in the line

Patron Jeremy Vine opening the Kew Eco Fair with the (L-R Mayor Cllr Richard Payne, Eco-Fair Organiser Charlotte Baker, The Rt Revd Dr Martin Gainsborough and Revd Melanie Harrington-Haynes

As this year’s Eco-Fair coincided with UN World Water Day, Kew Society’s Environment Lead, Dr Sarah Clarke, designed an activity to help facilitate conversations about what we can all do to protect this invaluable resource. Armed with a pile of unwanted and unloved t-shirts, a group of TKS volunteers taught young and old how to fashion a bag out of a t-shirt. Why? Because it takes around 2,700 litres of water to make one t-shirt!

3 women are seated around a table, a 4th is standing. The women are doing various crafting activities. One is cutting shapes, another drawing lines on a t-shirt and a 3rd is laying out t-shirts. There is a black cardboard sign with blue lettering hanging behind them - Make your t-shirt bag here!

Volunteers preparing t-shirts

Young and old got to grips with the 10 minute process of transforming a t-shirt into a bag, before personalising it with their own World Water Day themed design.

Image shows 6 adults and children around a table crafting. They are working on t-shirts. There is glue, scissors, pieces of fabric and pens on the table

T-shirt bag making

Image shows a young child holding a bright red t-shirt bag in front of them. we can only see the top of his head. The bag has images of two black and white footballs and a large water drop as well as team 3A in large letters

A finished t-shirt bag

We even spotted our Deputy Chair Trevor Whittaker having ago!

Image shows a white haired balding man wearing a grey jumper. He is seated at a table holding a glue bottle and using a paint brush to apply glue to a t-shirt. There is a t-shirt on the table along with scissors. He appears to be concentrating hard

TKS Deputy Chair,Trevor Whittaker making a t-shirt bag

And the youngest had fun colouring World Water Day cartoons!

Images shows 4 young children from behind, seated at a table colouring. In the Backgroun is a world water day display with 4 t-shirt bags hanging in a line

World Water Day colouring activity

So if you’ve got an unwanted t-shirt hidden at the back of your cupboard, rather than rip it up for rags or toss it in the bin, why not make your own t-shirt bag? You can find some simple instructions here or google “no-sew t-shirt bag” for videos of how to make them!

Happy up-cycling from TKS Environment Team!

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Celebrating World Water Day, one t-shirt at a time at the Kew Eco-Fair

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